The Least Popular UK Baby Names 2018

15th August 2018 |

The Least Popular UK Baby Names

If you’re expecting a baby soon then you’ll be all too aware of the pressures of choosing a name for your new arrival. Do you plump for a family name which has been passed down through the generations, or will you choose a name with a special meaning which you hope will influence your child’s personality in the future? Will you choose a classic name which is easily-recognisable, or perhaps you’ll pick a name which is less common so that your child’s moniker is unique?

Here at My Name Label we see all kinds of names (with all kinds of spellings!) coming through the name label printing room. We have noticed a definite decline in some previously popular names over the past few years, so thought it would be interesting to explore the least popular baby names in the UK today.

Popular parenting resource website Bounty scoured their database of baby names to see which baby names were once popular but are looking set to become extinct in 2018, and the results might be surprising! They say names like Arnold, Carl, Bridie, Bonny, Cecily and Cecelia are among those set to become extinct alongside Leroy, Guy, Roxanne and Mimi if they are not rejuvenated soon.

Previously popular names which owed their rise to pop culture references – like the name ‘Macaulay’ after the runaway success of film “Home Alone” in the eighties (starring child actor Macaulay Culkin) - are also seeing a rapid decline in 2018. This too is the same for names like ‘Naomi’ which saw a rise with the popularity of supermodel Naomi Campbell but are now seeing a downturn.

Bounty says, “classically traditional ‘old lady’ names Cecelia and Cecily are on their way to becoming extinct this year if not revived along with Sandra, which admittedly isn’t an obvious one to revive without there being a strong and meaningful family connection to the name”.

These rapidly diminishing names have shown to be at risk of becoming extinct - do your favourites appear on this list and will you revive these names for 2018?

Least Popular Girls’ Names 2018

Cecelia

Bridie

Bonny

Cecily

Mimi

Aubrie

Mika

Roxanne

Alora

Kourtney

Least Popular Boys’ Names 2018

Jago

Macaulay

Leroy

Guy

Fabio

Soren

Arnold

Carl

Ivor

Marcos

Whilst it might be tempting to call your child something obscure like Apple or Sunday in a bid to be original, perhaps the option to resort to more conventional names that appear to be falling out of favour is a cunning move.

Let us know which names have made your baby names lists wither below or over on Facebook and Instagram. We can’t wait to see the spectrum of beautiful names coming through our name label printing rooms one day soon…